U-Th dating of Lake Lisan (late Pleistocene dead sea) aragonite and implications for glacial east Mediterranean climate change

U-series dating can be an effective means to obtain accurate and precise ages on Quaternary carbonates. However, most samples require a correction for U and Th in admixed detritus. This complication is often addressed through generation of U-Th isochrons, requiring analyses of several coeval samples. In addition, presence of water-derived (hydrogenous) Th in the carbonate can cause inaccuracies in isochron ages.This study reports a high-resolution U-series chronology of sediments deposited by Lake Lisan, the last glacial precursor of the Dead Sea. The strategy employed combines multiple measurements from a few stratigraphic heights and fewer analyses from many heights in a single described and measured section. The resulting chronology is based on ages at 22 heights in a ∼40-m-thick section covering the interval of ∼70-14 calendar ka BP. The effects of admixed detritus are evaluated using trace elements. Nearly pure aragonite samples, indicated by very low abundances of insoluble elements such as Nb and Zr, were found to contain hydrogenous Th, which causes the uncorrected U-²³⁰Th age of a modern sample to be ∼2.5 ka. Nevertheless, accurate ages have been obtained by correcting for the detrital and aqueous interferences. The resulting ages are in stratigraphic order, and their accuracy is evidenced by consistency of Lisan Formation U-series and ¹⁴C ages with the coral-based calendar-radiocarbon age calibration.The U-Th ages provide a context to unravel the limnological history of Lake Lisan. Boundaries between the Lower, Middle, and Upper stratigraphic units correspond to the MIS 4/3 and 3/2 transitions, respectively. During MIS 2 and 4 the lake generally showed a stable two-layer configuration and a positive fresh-water balance, reflected by deposition of laminated aragonite-detritus. Dry intervals during MIS 2 and 4 are indicated by thick gypsum layers and an inferred depositional hiatus, which are temporally associated with Heinrich events H1 at ∼17 ka and H6 at ∼65 ka, respectively. During MIS 3 the lake level was unstable with intermittent dry periods indicated by abundant clastic layers and a significant hiatus between ∼43-49 ka. Clastic layers are associated with Dansgaard-Oeschger events during MIS 3, and indicate lake level declines during abrupt Northern Hemisphere warmings. Overall, the climate of the Eastern Mediterranean region shows a strong linkage to the Northern Hemisphere climate, with increasing lake size and stability during cold periods, and fluctuations and dessication during warmings and Heinrich events.     

胶北粉子山群石榴云母片岩的三叠纪独居石年龄及其地质意义

胶北地块粉子山群石榴云母片岩中石榴石变斑晶内包裹物迹线明显,保留了岩石形成过程中的多期变质变形信息。电子探针成分面扫描图显示石榴石成分环带明显,可分为核部、幔部和边部。石榴石中MgO、FeO、MnO和CaO含量变化特征表明其核部到边部温度先升高后降低,对应进变质及退变质过程。根据原位独居石Y元素成分面扫描图显示,部分独居石颗粒由核部到边部Y含量呈现逐渐降低趋势,说明测得的232.6±1.1Ma~229.5±3.7Ma的独居石U-Pb年龄,对应石榴石的进变质生长过程。结合1869±72Ma的锆石U-Pb年龄数据,可推断粉子山群石榴云母片岩至少经历了古元古代及三叠纪两期变质事件的改造。粉子山群石榴云母片岩卷入了苏鲁超高压变质带的俯冲碰撞造山事件。电子探针成分分析结果表明粉子山群石榴云母片岩中的石榴石属于铁铝榴石,反映出经受中级区域变质作用的特征。说明粉子山群石榴云母片岩虽然参与了三叠纪苏鲁超高压变质带的俯冲碰撞造山过程,但俯冲深度较浅。这可用大陆俯冲过程中上盘的俯冲剥蚀来解释,并可为陆-陆碰撞俯冲剥蚀模式提出的扬子板片在240~220Ma的深俯冲作用过程中拽动胶北地块向下俯冲又折返的运动过程提供佐证,但胶北地块是否经历了深俯冲超高压变质作用,还需要进一步验证。     

Source and supply of sediment to a shoreline salient in a fringing reef environment

Reef-associated landforms are coupled to the health of the reef ecosystem which produces the sediment that forms and maintains these landforms. However, this connection can make reef-fronted coastlines sensitive to the impacts of climate change, given that any decline in ecosystem health (e.g. decreasing sediment supply) or changes to physical processes (e.g. sea level rise, increasing wave energy) could drive the sediment budgets of these systems into a net erosive state. Therefore, knowledge of both the sediment sources and transport mechanisms is required to predict the sensitivity of reef-associated landforms to future climate change. Here, we examine the benthic habitat composition, sediment characteristics (composition, texture, and age), and transport mechanisms and pathways to understand the interconnections between coastal morphology and the reef system at Tantabiddi, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Benthic surveys and sediment composition analysis revealed that although live coral accounts for less than 5% of the benthic cover, coral is the dominant sediment constituent (34% on average). Sediment ages (²³⁸U/²³⁰Th) were mostly found to be thousands of years old, suggesting that the primary sediment source is relic reef material (e.g. Holocene reef framework). Sediment transport across the lagoon was quantified through measurements of ripple migration rates, which were found to be shoreward migrating and responsible for feeding the large shoreline salient in the lee of the reef. The derived sediment fluxes were comparable with previously measured rates of sediment production by bioerosion. These results suggest that sediment budgets of systems dependent on old (>10³ years) source materials may be more resilient to climate change as present-day reef health and community composition (i.e. sources of ‘new’ carbonate production) have limited influence on sediment supply. Therefore, the vulnerability of reef-associated landforms in these systems will be dictated by future changes to mechanisms of sediment generation (e.g. bioerosion) and/or physical processes. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multiple Point Metrics to Assess Categorical Variable Models

Geostatistical models should be checked to ensure consistency with conditioning data and statistical inputs. These are minimum acceptance criteria. Often the first and second-order statistics such as the histogram and variogram of simulated geological realizations are compared to the input parameters to check the reasonableness of the simulation implementation. Assessing the reproduction of statistics beyond second-order is often not considered because the “correct” higher order statistics are rarely known. With multiple point simulation (MPS) geostatistical methods, practitioners are now explicitly modeling higher-order statistics taken from a training image (TI). This article explores methods for extending minimum acceptance criteria to multiple point statistical comparisons between geostatistical realizations made with MPS algorithms and the associated TI. The intent is to assess how well the geostatistical models have reproduced the input statistics of the TI; akin to assessing the histogram and variogram reproduction in traditional semivariogram-based geostatistics. A number of metrics are presented to compare the input multiple point statistics of the TI with the statistics of the geostatistical realizations. These metrics are (1) first and second-order statistics, (2) trends, (3) the multiscale histogram, (4) the multiple point density function, and (5) the missing bins in the multiple point density function. A case study using MPS realizations is presented to demonstrate the proposed metrics; however, the metrics are not limited to specific MPS realizations. Comparisons could be made between any reference numerical analogue model and any simulated categorical variable model.     

Sectoral Composition and Spatial Distribution of Department of Defense Services Procurement*

The purpose of this research is to analyze the composition and distribution of Department of Defense (DOD) services procurement. The results indicate producer services comprise 53% of DOD services outlays. Defense expenditures for services are particularly important in the Washington, D.C., region and in states that either produce weapons or house defense-related R&D facilities. Defense expenditures are providing impetus to service sector growth in Virginia and, simultaneously, are providing the initial stimulus for development of producer services in states such as New Mexico.     

Detection and rapid recovery of the Sutter's Mill meteorite fall as a model for future recoveries worldwide

The Sutter's Mill C‐type meteorite fall occurred on 22 April 2012 in and around the town of Coloma, California. The exact location of the meteorite fall was determined within hours of the event using a combination of eyewitness reports, weather radar imagery, and seismometry data. Recovery of the first meteorites occurred within 2 days and continued for months afterward. The recovery effort included local citizens, scientists, and meteorite hunters, and featured coordination efforts by local scientific institutions. Scientific analysis of the collected meteorites revealed characteristics that were available for study only because the rapid collection of samples had minimized terrestrial contamination/alteration. This combination of factors—rapid and accurate location of the event, participation in the meteorite search by the public, and coordinated scientific investigation of recovered samples—is a model that was widely beneficial and should be emulated in future meteorite falls. The tools necessary to recreate the Sutter's Mill recovery are available, but are currently underutilized in much of the world. Weather radar networks, scientific institutions with interest in meteoritics, and the interested public are available globally. Therefore, it is possible to repeat the Sutter's Mill recovery model for future meteorite falls around the world, each for relatively little cost with a dedicated researcher. Doing so will significantly increase the number of fresh meteorite falls available for study, provide meteorite material that can serve as the nuclei of new meteorite collections, and will improve the public visibility of meteoritics research.     

Low temperature phase equilibria in the Fe-Ni and Fe-Ni-P systems: application to the thermal history of metallic phases in meteorites

The solubility limits of the α (kamacite) and γ (taenite) phases in the Fe-Ni and Fe-Ni-P phase diagrams have been measured at low temperatures, 700-300°C. The predicted $\text{α}\text{α}\text{+ γ}$ retrograde solubility below 500°C was demonstrated experimentally for the first time in the Fe-Ni system. The minimum solubility of Ni in γ at the $\text{γ}\text{α}\text{+γ}$ boundary increases with decreasing temperature to as much as 54 wt% at 300°C. The addition of P increases the maximum solubility of Ni in α by as much as 1.6 wt% and decreases the minimum solubility of Ni in γ by as much as 7 wt% at 300°C.The solubility limits of kamacite and taenite were also obtained from heat-treated samples of the Grant and Cape York iron meteorites. The data indicate that in iron meteorites minor and trace elements other than P do not significantly shift the Ni solubility limits of the Fe-Ni and Fe-Ni-P phase diagrams. The measured phase diagrams can be used to explain the Agrell effect and the differences in maximum Ni content of taenite among irons and chondrites. The formation of plessite and the influence of the measured solubility limits on the cooling rate simulation method are also considered.     

Sustainability Through an Alternative Property‐Rights Regime for Bangladesh's Mangrove Forest

This study examines the challenges of achieving sustainable management of the world's largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans, in Bangladesh. The Sundarbans is currently managed by the Bangladesh Department of Forest, under a state property‐rights regime, while our study explores an alternative property‐rights regime. We employed a mixed‐method approach to examine the prospects of alternative management and livelihood strategies to achieve sustainability. Both focus groups and household surveying were used to assess the opportunities for, and barriers to, achieving sustainability. It was found that two conflicting groups—forest‐dependent communities and foresters—are responsible for policy failures due to the absence of power‐sharing arrangements, nor is it likely a common property‐rights regime will be enough to cap degradation and achieve sustainability, while supply‐and‐demand policy interventions may well could help achieve sustainable management of the Sundarbans.     

A large landslide event in a post‐glacial landscape: rethinking glacial legacy

Threlkeld Knotts (c. 500 m above sea level) in the English Lake District has hitherto been considered to be a glacially‐modified intrusion of microgranite. However, its surface features are incompatible with glacial modification; neither can these nor the subsurface structures revealed by ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) be explained by post‐glacial subaerial processes acting on a glacially‐modified microgranite intrusion. Here we re‐interpret Threlkeld Knotts as a very large post‐glacial landslide involving the microgranite, with an estimated volume of about 4 × 10⁷ m³. This interpretation is tested against published and recent information on the geology of the site, the glacial geomorphic history of the area and newly‐acquired GPR data. More than 60 large post‐Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) rock–slope failures have significantly modified the glaciated landscape of the Lake District; this is one of the largest. Recognition of this major landslide deposit in such a well‐studied environment highlights the need to continuously re‐examine landscapes in the light of increasing knowledge of geomorphic processes and with available technology in currently active or de‐glaciating environments. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Damage due to ultraviolet and ionizing radiation during the ejection of shielded micro-organisms from the vicinity of 1M ⊙ main sequence and red giant stars

We present the astrophysical conditions necessary for the ejection of shielded microorganisms from a solar system and the biological conditions involving ultraviolet and ionizing radiations to which they are subjected in space. The radiation dose for both UV and ionizing radiation from the host star, the destination star and interstellar space is calculated for three different micro-organisms. The time of transport and the survival of the micro-organisms are strongly dependent on the composition and thickness of any mantle encasing the micro-organism and on the mass/luminosity ratio of the two stars. The maximum size of grains that can be ejected from the vicinity of one solar mass main sequence and red giant stars ranges from 0.65-0.35µm and 2.1-1.2µm respectively, for a reasonable range of densities. We conclude that unshielded known micro-organisms are immediately killed by ultraviolet radiation, and that an ice mantle does not provide sufficient shielding for either type of star. However, micro-organisms shielded by a carbonaceous thin-film mantle can be ejected from the vicinity of a one solar-mass red-giant star, and such micro-organisms have a high probability of surviving damage from the ultraviolet and ionizing radiations to which they are exposed.